Wringer-reversing-gear box.



W. J. CONLON.

' WRINGER REVERSING GEAR BOX.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 2, I914.

Patent e11@ept. 4, 1917.

Inveniofi I WRINGER-REVERSING-GEAR BOX.

naaataa Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 41-, 121?.

Application filed ma 2, 1914. Serial No. 835,792.

To aZl'w/Jom it mag concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER J. CONLON, a citizen of the. United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in \Vringer-Reversing- Gear Boxes, of which the followmg 1s a full, clear, concise, and exact descrlpt on, reference being had to the accompanylng drawings, forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to gear boxes.

In certain classes of light machinery the cost of assembling theparts is the largest item in the cost ofmanufacture. -A construe tion which will allow of a more convenient or speedy assembly will materially reduce the cost of manufacture.

One of the objects of the present invention isto improve the construction of gear mechanisms, or the like, which will allow of rapid and accurate assembly andwill' reduce the cost of manufacture.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is an elevation with parts broken away of a gear box embodying myinvention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same partly insection. a The particular apparatus that I have chosen to illustrate my invention is a reversing gear mechanism, such as may be employed in connection with the gear mechanism describedand claimedin my'copcndin application, Serial No. 833,045, filed Aprl 20, 1914.

A casing 1 is provided with'bearlngs 2 and 3 at the top andbottom of the casing, respectively. I

It will be seenfrom Fig. 2 thatthe bearings are integral with the casing and are in line with each other.

is arranged to rotate in the bearings 2 and 3, respectively. Intermediate the circular portions of the shaft is a squared portion 7. Theshaft is divided into two partsat' the junction of the squared portion and the lower circular portion where a union is made between the parts by the screw threaded socket 8 in the squared portion and a reduced threadedpart 9 on the circular portion; Bevel gearsll and 12 are borne on A driving shaft having circular cylindrical portions land 5 the circular portions l and 5, respectively, between the squared portion 7 and the bearings 2 and 3 of the casing. It can be seen that endwise movement of these pinions is prevented by the above arrangement. These bevel pinions l1 and 12 engage a driven bevel gear 13 which has a bearing 14 in the back part ofthe casing 1. The shaft or hub of the gear 13 is out off next the end of the bearing 14 to allow of convenient assembly of the parts driven by said gear. This is accomplished by providing a square socket 15 in the hub 16 for coeperation with a squared shaft 17 to which the gear mechanism may be connected. It will be seen that the bevel pinions are loosely mounted on the shaft and are free to rotate thereupon.

A clutch member 18 having projections 20 and 21 for engaging similar projections 22 and 23 mounted on the pinions 11 and 12, respectively, is slidable on the squared portion 7 of the driving shaft. This clutch 18 may stand in a neutral position as shown in Fig. 1, or it may be moved upward to clutch the driving shaft 7 with the pinion 11 and to drive the gear 13 in one direction or the clutch member may be th rown into the lower position to clutch the shaft and the lower pinion 12 and thus to drive the gear 13 in the opposite direction. Shifting of the clutch may be accomplished in any preferred manner, as by a shifting fork 24. The cylindrical shaft 5 may be provided with a coupling 25 which is pinned to the end thereof, and may be adapted for cooperationwith a driving shaft 26. j

The casing 1 may be provided with a cover 10 to protect the parts. The cover 10 may be secured to casing 1 bymeans of bolts and lugs 27 and the entire mechanism may be supported by a bracket 28 boltedto any convenient support or part of machine 30.

placed in the casing 1 with the cylindrical portion 4L of the shaft sliding into the hearing 2. The pinion 12 is placed in the casing and brought into register with the bearing 3. The stub shaft5 with the socket or coupling attached is then inserted in the bearing 3 and the threaded portion 9 is screwed into the socket 8. The assembly of the parts is then. complete. In view of the fact that the shaft 26 turns only in one direction and that the reversing of the gear 13 is secured by clutching the different pinions, it can be seen that there is no opportunity for the parts to become separated as the same are all locked by the engagement of the screw 9 with the socket 8. By the arrangement of the coupling 25 and the squared recess 15 in the hub of the bevel gear 13, further assembly to other operating parts may readily be made. It can be seen from the above description that I have provided a structure of the utmost simplicity and ease of assembly. The parts may be manufactured cheaply and may be easily assem bled.- The structure is self-contained and all bearings are suitably formed in a single casting so that the proper alinement is insured. An-interlocking of the parts is also secured in that the attachment of the last element retains all the other elements in a locked position and it is impossible to dismantle the device vwithout first unlocking the same by removing the last assembled element. 1

Instead of employing a squared portion7, a shaft of any preferred cross section suitable for driving the clutch member 18 may be employed, it being essential only that the same be enlarged with respect to the bearing portion 4 and 5 so as to provide shoulders for preventing endwise movement, both of the shaft itself and of the pinions 11 and 12. It is also apparent that the portions 5 and 7 of the sectional shaft may be connected by other means than socket and screw threads. p

This device is especially adapted to be used on wringers attached to electric washing machines. The wringer rolls are required to run in either direction and the present device is a convenient means forreversing the same. r

The invention above described is not limited to the specific embodiment disclosed but may be applied in other relations and to other-pieces or parts of apparatus and I do not desire that the invention be limited to 1 any of the details above described except as the same may be embodied in the appended claims.

hat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

In a mechanism of the class described, a hollow unitary casing, a shaft member havmg a circular bearing portion and a squared pinion 11, clutch 18 and shaft 7, are then portion, said squared portion having a screw threaded socket therein, a second shaft member having screw threads to engage said socket and having a bearing portion, said shaft members projecting through and having bearings in two sides of said casing,

driving gearslooselymounted on said bearing portions and held against endwise motion between said squared portion and said casing, a clutch slidably mounted on said squared portion and adapted to connect'said gears with said shaft members, a driven shaft, and a gear on said driven shaft constantly meshing with saidfirst named gears.

2. Inapparatus of theflclass described, a

casing, a driving shaft; projecting'through and havingbearing portions in said casing and an enlarged; portion between saidibean ing portions, adriving member mounted. on one of said portions, a screw threaded joint between said enlargedportion and one of the bearing portions, and a driven member operatively connected with said driving member. a r p a 3. In a mechanism of the class described,

a unitary casingprovided with bearings, a

tachable joint, between one of said circular portions and the rectangular portion.

1. In combination, a driving shaft having. a circular portion and a non-circular portion, a pinion 0nsaid'circular portion, a

clutclrmemberon said non-circular portion for engaging said pinion, an intermediate shaft, a gear on said, intermediate shaft meshing with said'pinion, and an independ ently supported driven shaft having a squared end extending. into an axial pocket in said intermediate shaft.

5. In combination, a casing, a driving shaft bearing in said casing and having a circular portion and a non-circularportion,

a pinion on said circular portion,ra clutch member on said noncircular portion for engaging said. pinion, an intermediate shaft bearing in said casing, a gear on said intermediate shaft meshing with said pinion, and an independently supported driven shaft having a squared end extendinginto an axial pocket in said intermediate shaft. V 6. In' combination, a casing, a driving shaft bearing insaid casing and having circular portions and a non-circular portion, a

pinion oneach of said circular portlons, a

clutch member on said non-circular portion In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe for engaging either of said pinions, an inmy name this 21st day of April, A. D. 1914:. termediate shaft bearing in said casing, a

gear on said intermediate shaft meshing WALTER J. CONLON. with said inions, and an independently supported drlven shaft having a squared end Witnesses:

extending into an axial pocket in said in LEONARD W. NOVANDER,

termediate shaft. JOHN H. DIENNER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,238,745, granted September 4, 1917, upon the application of Walter J. Conlon, of Chic ago, Illinois, for an improvement in Wringer-Reversiug-Gear Boxes, errors appear in the printed speoifica tion requiring correction as follows: Page 2, top of first column, insert as line 1 the Words and reference-numerals pinion 11, clutch 18 and shaft 7, are then; same page, strike out line 66; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein thatthe same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Ofiice.

Signed and sealed this 25th day of September, A. D., 1917.

F. W. H. CLAY,

Acting Commissioner of Patents.

[SEAL] 

